For the avid fisherman, Chris Shaffer would be a good person to know. The author of "The Definitive Guide to Fishing in Northern California," recently won book-of-the-year recognition from the Outdoor Writers Association of California.

Shaffer spent the past 10 years fishing more than 1,500 streams, rivers, ponds and lakes in both California and Nevada while preparing the book.

"I lived in Incline Village while I worked on the book," Shaffer said by phone from his office in Chatsworth, Calif. "And I did a lot of fishing in Tahoe while I was there."

Shaffer is also the author of the "Definitive Guide to Waterfalls."

While a lot of books on fishing give the reader information you could get from a run-of-the-mill fishing guide, Shaffer's book gives the reader the inside track on fishing spots that are a little out of the way.

"Anyone can go to the obvious places. I wanted to give real fishermen the chance at the out of the way places to fish," Shaffer said. "Of course some of them are pretty out of the way so you'd better be a real dedicated fisherman."

Shaffer said he fished Tahoe nearly 100 times while living in Incline and compiling the book and he's never gotten tired of it.

"What's to get tired of?" asked Shaffer, a former sports writer for the Los Angeles Times. "You've got the scenery and even though the success rate isn't great you can land everything from wild rainbow and brown trout to mackinaw.

"I really feel that I've written the complete guide to fishing in and around the northern California/Nevada area and I can tell you that I fished everyone of these places, It was tough research. But somebody had to do it."

For the local angler, Shaffer's guide suggests fishing areas like Cave Rock, Sand Harbor and the Tahoe Keys, but while some people enjoy shore fishing, there is a lot more success out in a boat.

"Really the preferred way to fish Tahoe is by boat," Shaffer said. "It's kind of like going out and meeting the fish on their own turf."

Shaffer also gives tips in the 750-page book to insure a successful fishing trip to the lake.

"Skilled anglers know the secrets to catching the big fish. Look for the pollen on the surface in the middle of the lake," Shaffer said. "Since rainbow trout feed heavily on the pollen, it stands to reason that's where they'll be."

Not content to limit himself to the northern fishing holes, Shaffer will next be looking at the southern areas of both states in an effort to steer anglers to the right fishing spots.

"It's one of my favorite subjects (fishing) and I love

writing about it," Shaffer said. "Besides, like I said, I love doing the research."

Shaffer's book is available on Amazon.com or at www.fishingcalifornia.net.